Nanako's Cake Decorating Class

Course 1

Basic Techniques

Lesson 1 ~ The Fundamentals
  • Icing for Class
  • Preparing the Piping Bag
  • Cake Preparation - Level, Torte, Fill & Ice the cake
  • Decorating Tips
  • Colouring the icing
Lesson 2: Starting to Decorate
  • Star Tip Decorating
  • Printing and Writing
  • Pattern Transfer

Lesson 3: Flowers and Figures
  • The Shell
  • Figure Piping
  • Drop Flowers

Lesson 4: Decorating with Flowers
  • The Rose
  • Floral Accents
  • Leaves and Vines

Supply List for Course 1

Course 1 Student Kit* (includes the following)
  • Flower Nail No. 7
  • Tip Brush
  • Standard Couplers (2)
  • Decorator Brush
  • 10” Featherweight Decorating Bag (2)
  • Disposable Decorating Bag
  • Tip #3
  • Tip #12
  • Tip #16
  • Tip #21
  • Tip #67
  • Tip #104
  • Tip #2D
  • Small Straight Spatula
  • Practice Board Set
* Extra Bags and Couplers will be very useful.

Wilton Meringue Powder
Wilton Piping Gel

Icing Sugar (5 lb.)
Cake (2 cakes and 8 cupcakes)
Solid vegetable shortening (5 cups)

Wilton Icing Colour or any food colour, if desired

Supply List for Each Lesson

Lesson 1
  • Registration fee receipt
  • Pen / Pencil
Lesson 2
  • Course 1 Student Kit
  • Pen / Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Toothpicks
  • Class Buttercream Icing (2 recipes)
    • 1 cup stiff consistency (keep this icing for Lesson 3)
    • 1 1/2 cups medium consistency (if you prefer colour, 1/4 cup each of: blue, red, yellow, green, purple, and white)
    • 1/2 cup thin consistency with 1/4 teaspoon piping gel added
    • 2 cups thin consistency to ice the cake at home
    • 1 cup thin consistency to be reserved for Lesson 3
  • Piping Gel
  • 8” round cake (1 layer), iced with thin consistency icing at home (if using cake mix, use half the batter for this cake, and the other half to bake cupcakes for Lesson 3)
Lesson 3
  • Course 1 Student Kit
  • Pen / Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Toothpicks
  • Class Buttercream Icing (1 recipe)
    • 1/4 cup thin consistency
    • 1 3/4 cup medium consistency
    • 1 cup stiff consistency (same one from Lesson 2)
    • 1 cup thin consistency from Lesson 2 plus remaining thin consistency icing for icing cupcakes at home
  • 8 standard sized cupcakes, iced with thin consistency icing at home
Lesson 4
  • Course 1 Student Kit
  • Pen / Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Toothpicks
  • 1 1/2” waxed paper squares (approx. 24)
  • Class Buttercream Icing (2 recipes)
    • 1 1/2 cups stiff consistency
    • 1 1/4 cup medium consistency (colour 1/4 cup in colour of your choice, if desired)
    • 1/4 cup thin consistency
    • 3 cups thin consistency to ice the cake at home
  • 10" round (if you don't have 10" round pan, minimum 6” of any shape) cake, iced with thin consistency icing at home

Recipe - Class Buttercream Icing

(Stiff Consistency)
yield: 3 cups

1 cup solid white vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon flavour (vanilla, butter, almond etc.)
2 tablespoons water
1 lb. icing sugar
1 tablespoon Wilton Meringue Powder
A pinch of salt (optional)

Cream shortening, flavour and water.
Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together.
Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy.

For Medium Consistency, add one teaspoon water to each cup of stiff consistency icing.

For Thin Consistency, add two teaspoons water to each cup of stiff consistency icing (add 1 teaspoon water to each cup of medium consistency icing).

Chocolate Class Buttercream Icing:
Add 1/4 cup cocoa or three 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares, melted, and an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons water to above recipe.  Mix until well blended.

Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.